Stanek brings valuable experience to Mariners 'pen

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Shortly after he underwent his physical but before he threw his first bullpen session and sat down with the Mariners’ pitching brain trust to discuss his role, Ryne Stanek was thrust into wildly unfamiliar territory upon arriving at the Peoria Sports Complex on Sunday.

A spelling bee, the latest quirky component to manager Scott Servais’ morning meetings -- which just so happened to take place the morning that Stanek finalized a one-year, $4 million contract that includes $2 million in performance incentives.

“I like that the clubhouse is loose,” the reliever said. “And I think that comes with a young team. Like, you have to keep it loose.”

Stanek, 32, is an eighth-year veteran who knows the Mariners well, albeit from afar, after spending the past three seasons as a setup man in Houston.

He arrives as the latest addition to a bullpen that’s seen minor, albeit notable, injuries to two high-leverage relievers (Matt Brash and Gregory Santos) and season-ending elbow surgery to a new piece who was a frontrunner to make the team (Jackson Kowar), which has created a few unforeseen holes as Seattle’s front office constructs its Opening Day roster.

Stanek, who threw a side session on Sunday, has maintained a throwing progression that shouldn’t impede his status for Opening Day.

“I don’t think that’s a thing or don’t think that’s a worry,” he said.

The Mariners communicated with Stanek throughout the offseason, but the late timing of his signing signaled that the club perhaps didn’t see the urgency to bring him in until more uncertainty cropped up within their bullpen.

Yet, with Brash and Santos expected back in mid-April, a relief corps that’s been among the American League’s best the past three years appears to be restocked with proven power arms, when considering incumbents Andrés Mu?oz and Gabe Speier are also in the mix.

“We have a lot of velocity,” Servais said. “And if we get everybody healthy, we have a [expletive] ton of velocity.”

Indeed, Stanek has ranked in the 96th percentile or higher in fastball velocity every season since 2017 (other than the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign), per Statcast, sitting at 98.2 mph last season. He pairs the heat with a biting splitter that’s his best secondary pitch, having held hitters to a .189 batting average and .297 slugging percentage while generating whiffs on 46.8% of swings. He also has a slider that he used just as much but that was hit often last season, for a .296 batting average and .519 slugging percentage.

Compared to Seattle’s top relievers, who primarily lean on two-seam fastballs and sliders, Stanek brings a different look, with the four-seam/split combo, making him a prime candidate for pockets against lefties.

“He's pitched at a high level in leverage roles for teams that are competing for the World Series,” Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said. “And when you're in big moments, having experience both for yourself and for the other guys around there, I think is valuable.”

Stanek is eager to see what the Mariners’ pitching lab can uncover within his arsenal, given their recent success stories with relievers, and particularly after he’s coming off a season where his results weren’t as strong.

Stanek carried a 4.09 ERA (103 ERA+, where league average is 100) and a 1.243 WHIP, with a 23.9% strikeout rate, and 9.9% walk rate. He gave up eight homers, and opponents slashed .221/.301/.390 (.690 OPS) against him. Some of those numbers were pronounced by a few runaway outings, as he was scoreless in 40 of his 55 appearances.

In 2022, he was among MLB’s best relievers, with a 1.15 ERA (333 ERA+) and a 1.226 WHIP, with a 27.7% K rate and 13.3% walk rate while holding hitters to a .556 OPS, also helping Houston win the World Series.

Speaking of, he also was asked about the Mariners’ brewing rivalry with the Astros, which has led to a few tense moments -- as recently as last September.

“From the other dugout, it was very contentious,” Stanek said, laughing.

“Everybody [here] has been super welcoming. So yeah, it's been fun so far. It's weird coming into a clubhouse in-division, where you feel like you know everybody, even though you've not met them. Like, I came in the clubhouse, and everybody said hi, and they're like, ‘Hey, glad to have you, glad you're on our side now.’”